PJ Harvey-LET ENGLAND SHAKE

Her reputation as an artist who writes music primarily for music critics belies how good she actually is, a complete original who can do both traditional and eccentric. This concept album about England is as good a work as she’s yet produced, complex and challenging, but the kind of record that opens up on third listen and won’t let go of you. She retains the melodicism of STORIES FROM THE CITY, STORIES FROM THE SEA, but this one is far more adventurous, flirting with some of the weird noises and textures from her ’90s work. Ambition rewarded. GRADE: A